It was not a good night for the New York Giants.
The final score was 20-12 in favor of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, though that was the least of Tom Coughlin's concerns. Before the first possession was over, Coughlin had lost center David Baas (sprained knee) and wide receiver Victor Cruz (bruised heel) to injuries.
X-rays came back negative for both, but it's too soon for fans to breathe easy. Coughlin said Cruz "jammed his heel and was sore." The coach didn't want to comment on how serious the injury might be.
"I don't know," Coughlin told reporters. "I mean he runs to make his living. He's obviously got an issue with the heel ... and they're going to continue to do some tests on him."
There's a very good chance Cruz will be fine and the team is just taking proper precautions by ordering up more tests. But this is clearly not an issue Coughlin and Co. wanted to be facing with the regular season quickly closing in.
Here are some other takeaways from the Colts' win at the Meadowlands ...
» The Giants weren't the only team to lose a starter to injury on Sunday night. Colts tight end Coby Fleener exited the game with a sprained knee. Fleener was injured following a Matt Hasselbeck interception late in the second quarter.
»Hakeem Nicks looked healthy in his preseason debut, collecting a pair of 20-yard receptions in limited duty. Very good news for the Giants, who need their deep threat on the field. "I feel good," Nicks told NFL Network's Kimberly Jones after the game.
» Looking for a sleeper MVP pick in 2013? How about Andrew Luck, who carved up the Giants in the first half. Luck is only entering his second season, but he already looks like a 10-year pro. He doesn't get enough credit for how well he moves in the pocket. Mechanically speaking, he's a perfect machine at the position. Given the Colts' issues with pass protection, he has to be.
» The Giants' running back competition remains too close to call. David Wilson (eight carries for 34 yards) and Andre Brown (eight carries for 36 yards) put up nearly identical rushing lines. Wilson added two catches for 21 yards, while Brown saw time in third-down passing situations. This still looks like a time share at the position.
» Everyone seems to expect T.Y. Hilton to take the No. 2 wideout spot in Indy, but Darrius Heyward-Bey isn't letting go of the spot. DHB remains on the field with Reggie Wayne in two-wide-receiver sets. Hilton will have a role with this offense, however, and he showed why Sunday with two impact receptions, including a pretty 18-yard touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone.
» The good news for Giants defensive end Justin Tuck? He looked like his old self at times, moving well and batting down a Luck pass. The bad news? Tuck ended the game in street clothes with a wrap around his left leg. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said after the game Tuck had a slightly strained hamstring.
» Though we shouldn't make too much of this, the Giants' first-team offense wasn't exactly on fire. The team repeatedly stalled in the red zone with Eli Manning at the controls, settling for six points on three trips inside the 20. Manning didn't look great, but that's to be expected sometimes with the two-time Super Bowl MVP.
» There were a lot of tough people on the field Sunday night, but sideline reporter Pam Oliver wins. Well, maybe winning isn't the right word.
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